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Dallas - Season 8
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The season of "haute couture," Donna Reed, and, of course, J.R
Review date: 2008-06-20 Rating: 10 out of 10
The '84-'85 season of "Dallas" was a pivotal one in many ways. It saw the show being somewhat overshadowed in the ratings by that ABC upstart "Dynasty"; it was the year that Barbara Bel Geddes was replaced by Oscar/Emmy-winner Donna Reed in the role of the beloved "Miss Ellie"; and it also saw the "departure" of another popular cast member at season's end. Though these developments may have been new and shocking to dedicated fans, there was enough of the old to keep 'em satisfied.
J.R. (the superb Larry Hagman) is still up to his same old tricks but fids himself smitten by the new girl in town, Mandy Winger, played by Deborah Shelton. Unlike other of the oilman's conquest, Winger really appeals to J.R., not just sexually but on an "intellectual" level as well. He is determined to get her at all cost, including sending off-and-on spouse Sue Ellen (the magnificent Linda Gray) back to the bottle and the sanitarium.
Bobby (Patrick Duffy) and Pam (Victoria Principal) are still in love, although Bobby is going to marry Jenna (Priscilla Presley). Pam goes on a wild-goose chase, spearheaded by you-know-who, to find beau Mark Graison (an unseen John Beck).
Katherine Wentworth (Morgan Brittany) is still crazy and Cliff Barnes (Ken Kercheval) carries on his lifelong mission to bring down Ewing Oil in honor of his "dead daddy."
Reed brings a different take on "Miss Ellie," something that didn't quite fair well with fans. However, credit must be given to the actress for stepping into a part that was so engrained in the memory of fans by Bel Geddes. It took a lot of courage for Miss Reed and she should be commended for doing an admirable job.
Besides, she did look better in the Travilla clothes.
Speaking of the fashion, this was the year that the producers went all out. The men, though adequately dressed, took a backseat to the glamorous attire of the ladies. In appears that every female cast member, be she main, recurrent, or having a one-shot appearance, got to wear "the" dress, one that really turned heads. According to the bonus feature on Travilla, the show was trying to get on the "Dynasty" bandwagon with the clothes. Regardless, the women look "mah-velous," to borrow from Billy Crystal.
The series finale, "Swan Song," is, by far, the best of the season, featuring brilliant work from Duffy and Principal and an Emmy-worthy musical score by composer Lance Rubin. The final five minutes are poignant and demonstrate what the show was capable of when the writers really went to work...
Now, if they just could've come up with something better for the next season's finale...but that commentary is meant for that compilation upon its release.
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Reviews
Dallas as its best
Review date: 2008-05-20 Rating: 10 out of 10
This is Dallas at its best. JR is as evil as ever and there are many end of episode dramas, which forces you to watch the next one as quickly as possible. I can't believe I have to wait until end of Sep to get Season 9!!! The glamour is topped in every season, the ladies are looking their best and the men are tangled up romantically. The only thing I don't like is Donna Reed as Ellie Farlow. It's a tough role to take over, and fans are not forgiving. I find it odd to think of her as Miss Ellie.
Dallas Season 8
Review date: 2008-03-06 Rating: 10 out of 10
Dallas returns with a new Miss Ellie in the form of Donna Reed,star of classic Christmas movie "Its A Wonderful Life."
At the time,it was said the orginal Miss Ellie(Barbara Bel Geddes)had left for health reasons,Larry Hagman recently said it was over a pay dispute.
It really was madness to recast such a loved character,Donna Reed is a much more glamorous,kindly Miss Ellie and doesn't have Bel Geddes' fiery spirit or the down to earthness of the orginal Miss Ellie.
Barbara Bel Geddes makes a welcome return to Dallas the following year,Donna Reed sued Lorimar for breaking their contract,won the case and sadly died in 1986.
Lucy(Charlene Tilton)doesn't really have much of a storyline,in her last Dallas season for a few years,she strangely becomes a waitress like mother Valene(Joan Van Ark spunoff to the highly successful Knots Landing)
Priscilla Presley(Jenna Wade)joins the opening credits and has a large storyline,kidnapped by deranged ex husband Naldo,then accussed of his murder.
Newcomers this season are: long lost cousin Jamie(Jenilee Harrsion)and the lovely Mandy Winger(Deborah Shelton)both are soon caught up with the Ewing dramas.
Victoria Principal as Pam is great throughout,in one of J.R.'s nastiest schemes,he pays someone to take Pam on a wild goode chase,to the Carribean to look for the missing Mark.
The shocking ending featuring the "death" of a beloved character is heart breaking,and a lot of Dallas fans felt letdown when it was all revealed as a dream,to bring the character back!
Still enjoy this great season with the added padded shoulders of designer Travilla!
Better than I feared !
Review date: 2008-03-05 Rating: 10 out of 10
This was very compelling drama indeed ! Lucy working in a cheap coffee bar , JR trying to steal Cliff Barnes girlfriend , Jason Ewing's daughter working with Cliff & Pammie to get their claws into Ewing Oil , Clayton's troubles with Jock's ' ghost ' and all the fuss about whether or not Mark Graison is dead certainly captivate the viewer and as for the complex twists & turns concerning Bobby & Jenna...
Donna Reid is better as Miss Elie than I feared . Rather like Sir Peter Ustinov as Hercule Poirot - not the definitive performance but most acceptable non the less . JR & Sue Ellen have their troubles as ever caused by JR's skirt chasing . All in all I thought this was a step up from Season 7 & proof positive that a series can improve as time passes on ! I keenly await season 9 while loving the respectively attitude to towards Jock . The late Jim Davis would have been very touched and rather suprised at Donna Krebbes packing in The Texas Oil Commission to run an oil company . Steve Kanaly played Ray Krebbes very well - it is nice to see a regular guy getting a look in !
Excellent season of the world's favourite saga with drama galore and more.
Review date: 2007-11-19 Rating: 10 out of 10
Following on from the excellent DALLAS Season 7 DVD which focuses on troubled relationships, scheming and J.R. being nasty and dangerous, the world-famous epic saga of those feuding Ewings continues in this entertaining Season 8 DVD providing excellent drama, compelling viewing, great storylines and it's first few exciting episodes deal with last season's big cliffhanger of the shooting in J.R.'s office. The 30 classic episodes on this DVD set contain high quality and timeless drama that is better than many TV shows produced today.
J.R. Ewing - the man with the infamous grin who'll stop at nothing to win! - continues cooking up nasty schemes and evil tricks with Pam being one of his victims and results in J.R. getting a beating in the Southfork pool from Bobby. J.R. uses his blackmail tricks when he has a government official video-taped having sex with a call-girl named Miss Cummings! Former Miss USA Deborah Shelton joins the show as the beautiful Mandy Winger, as does Jennilee Harrison and Dack Rambo as the Ewings' cousins Jamie and Jack. After much provocation and confrontations with Southfork's sneakiest snake - J.R., Jamie produces a startling document which gives her, and Ewing-nemesis Cliff Barnes, a claim to a share of Ewing Oil which results in the Ewings having a fight on their hands for control of their company.
Victoria Principal gives an excellent performance throughout this season and is fantastic in the episode "Bail Out" where a very emotional Pam is furious when her pilot Gerald Kane [James Cromwell aka Jack Bauer's father on "24"] confesses he was on J.R.'s payroll and there is an intense build-up to where Pam explodes and whacks Kane across the face! There's an excellent confrontation in the episode "Legacy of Hate" where a furious Pam threatens J.R. who, in one of his worst acts of the season, is behind Pam's pointless trip to the Carribean to search for Mark so that J.R. can keep Pam and Bobby apart.
Morgan Brittany, always excellent as the evil Katherine Wentworth, appears only in Season 8's first few exciting episodes but reappears fleetingly in the fantastic final episode of the season, and is not seen till the Season 11 DVD when she briefly returns. Legendary Hollywood actress and Academy Award winner Donna Reed takes over the role of Miss Ellie for this season only - beginning in the 7th episode "Homecoming" - as Barbara Bel Geddes temporarily left the show but she returns in Season 9's first episode. Dennis Haysbert - well-known as President David Palmer on "24" - plays Dr Forbes in this season's first episode. Scene-stealing Larry Hagman is of course brilliant as the scheming, double-crossing and evil J.R. Ewing and he won the Soap Opera Digest Award for Outstanding Primetime Villain for his work in this season, while Patrick Duffy won the Soap Opera Digest Award for Outstanding Primetime Lead Actor for his work in this season.
This Season 8 DVD includes the famous and emotional episode "Swan Song" - a fan favourite and tear-jerker - which was number 1 in the TV ratings and achieved almost 360 million viewers worldwide when it originally aired; thus beating the 300 million viewers worldwide that "A House Divided", with the "Who Shot J.R.?" cliffhanger, had obtained five years earlier in 1980. David Paulsen does a great job as Story Editor during DVD Seasons 6, 7 & 8 when the storylines and drama are of consistent high quality throughout. A featurette is included in this DVD set entitled "Dallas Makeover - Travilla Style" which explores the revolutionary new look brought to the show by Emmy-winning Costume Designer Bill Travilla. DALLAS's excellent opening titles sequence this season has been updated with new location images. There are still 6 seasons left to be released so as to have the complete series on DVD of the much-loved saga with big rewatch value.
Product Details/Specifications
Actor(s):
Linda Gray
Patrick Duffy
Howard Keel
Larry Hagman
Victoria Principal
Recording label: Warner Home Video
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
EAN: 7321902200422
Binding: DVD
Number of items: 5
Format: Full Screen, PAL, Subtitled,
Release date: 2008-02-18
Audience rating: Parental Guidance
Region code: 2
Running time: 1421 minutes
Language: English (Original Language)